June and July are always very busy months for everyone, and this year has been no exception! The Osprey chicks in all the nests have grown tremendously and all are now all flying! The number of visitors to the Lyndon Nature Reserve continues to rise, and our school visits schedule has been hectic to say the least. Our most recent visits have been to Cottesmore Millfield Academy, Catmose Community College and Spratton Hall School, where we met a total of over 200 young people and gave them the full ‘Osprey Experience.’ We were pleased to welcome two groups from our closest school at Edith Weston – these children are possibly the only ones in the whole of the UK who can WALK directly from their school down to the Reserve and watch the Ospreys at close quarters. They were all enthusiastic and very knowledgeable on the subject of Ospreys – real ‘Osprey Experts’. Now it is the end of the school year and when schools go back in September our ospreys will be making their migration south to Africa! Here is our end of term report!

Osprey Festival – Science meets the Arts

What an amazing day! Displays, Art, Writing and Science workshops, osprey games and activities .In the afternoon there was a presentation to the prize winners by Tim Appleton. We finished with a performance of the new Brooke Priory osprey song.

For more information and links to see the East Midlands Today News programme, a video of the festival and picture gallery of the prize winning entries click here!

Winners and Ambassadors Osprey Cruise

Festival winners and Osprey Ambassadors, accompanied by parents and teachers, took part in an Osprey Cruise on the Rutland Belle last week. It was a beautiful sunny summer evening and everyone had several sightings of ospreys, as well as a unique view of the Lyndon nature reserve from the boat. Commentary was provided by Tim Mackrill and Tim Appleton for this special trip.

Another winner!

Georgia Johnson (Age 6) of Cottesmore Millfield Academy, produced this superb report about the Rutland Ospreys .It is posted on the “Your Journalist Academy” website so take a look!

The new ‘Osprey Ambassador’ scheme means that we have good representation in most of our local schools now, and the students give regular updates to their classes and assemblies. Many of them have also visited us with their families here at the Reserve. New schools are still coming on board – Leighfield Academy in Uppingham have recently appointed their ambassadors – so it is not too late to join the scheme.

Thank you for all you do – you make our job a lot easier!

He’s back! It’s Ozzie’s Return (The Sequel)

It’s five years ago now since the appearance of the first Ozzie book – Ozzie’s Migration, by Ken Davies and illustrated by the Osprey Project’s artist, field officer and photographer John Wright. Since 2011 over 2,500 copies of the book have been sold, with all profits going back to help the Project, and the book is in use in schools and Osprey centres all over the UK, Europe and West Africa. Well, the good news is that the same team has got together again to produce the second Ozzie book, Ozzie’s Return, which tells the story in words and stunning colour pictures of Ozzie’s hazardous journey back from Gambia to Rutland Water, his place of birth. The book will be on sale at our Visitor Centres and in other local outlets, and will again cost just £5. Do take a look – we are sure you will like it!

Ozzie Leads the Way

And that’s not all!! Later in the summer, hopefully in time for Birdfair in August (19th – 21st), another new Osprey book will hit the bookstalls! This time it’s a longer story by Ken for older children and adults, and features some characters very familiar to everyone who follows the Rutland Ospreys……that’s all for now, but watch this space for more details coming soon!

Birdfair (August 19th – 21st)

As many know, ‘Birdfair’ in August is a huge event celebrating the natural world in all its forms (especially birds), and of course the Rutland Ospreys Education Team will be there on all three days. Do come and see us – you can find us on the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust stand in the central area. There will be a range of activities for you, new books to buy, and it would be great to meet friends old and new!